The SpainSat NG-I satellite enters service, which will mean more coverage, more autonomy and more security for Spain in space

At 12:15 on Monday 11 August, the transfer of all communications carriers for the Ministry of Defence from Xtar-EUR to the new advanced SpainSat NG-I, operated from the Hisdesat Satellite Control Centre, located in the Madrid municipality of Hoyo de Manzanares and considered to be the most advanced in Europe, began.

As a result, on Monday the migration of the links with the Air and Space Army detachment in Djibouti was completed, as well as with the frigate 'Navarra', which is deployed in the 'Atalanta' operation.

The SpainSat NG Programme, developed by Hisdesat in consortium with the Spanish and French divisions of Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space, has an investment by the Ministry of Defence of close to 1.4 billion euros over 15 years. This programme incorporates a strong R&D component, which will enable national industry - with more than 40% participation - to lead European projects and open up opportunities in areas such as security and defence, risk control, environmental management and resource management.

The launch of the second SpainSat NG satellite, scheduled for October 2025, will extend telecommunications coverage from the United States and South America to the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Singapore, covering two-thirds of the globe.

These satellites will significantly expand X-band capacity, improving coverage in areas of operations. They also have Ka-band capacity for aircraft and UAVs, UHF capacity for tactical communications, and advanced geo-location jamming, anti-jamming and high-altitude nuclear explosion defence (HANE) systems.

"The space race for Spain means, above all, progress in peace, security, prosperity and well-being, since the services provided by satellite systems reinforce strategic autonomy and are indispensable for our daily lives, making the space sector a first-rate socio-economic asset," said the Secretary of State for Defence, Amparo Valcarce.

In this context, the Industrial and Technological Plan for Security and Defence, promoted by the Government of Spain, will be an essential instrument for strengthening our technological and industrial base, fostering innovation and ensuring that strategic programmes, such as space, have the industrial, technological and knowledge capabilities necessary for their development.

Non official translation